Cost of Living Comparison Between Medias and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Medias and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,096 in Medias versus $1,362 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,682 in Medias versus $2,133 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,269 in Medias versus $2,903 in Bucharest.

Living in Medias costs roughly 20% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medias is 18% below, Bucharest is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.97 RON 54.6

$14.09 RON 64.3

-15.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 RON 233

$68.8 RON 314

-25.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 RON 37.28

$8.08 RON 36.87

1.11%

Cappuccino

$3.51 RON 16.04

$3.39 RON 15.48

3.54%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 RON 9.08

$2.24 RON 10.24

-11.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 RON 9.47

$2.42 RON 11.04

-14.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 RON 14.42

$3.38 RON 15.44

-6.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 RON 16.02

$3.83 RON 17.49

-8.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 RON 6.48

$1.72 RON 7.84

-17.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 RON 5.93

$1.35 RON 6.16

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.08

$1.83 RON 8.37

-3.28%

Eggs

$3.22 RON 14.68

$3.65 RON 16.65

-11.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 RON 40.59

$9.23 RON 42.12

-3.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 RON 31.40

$6.85 RON 31.29

0.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.86 RON 54.1

$12.03 RON 54.9

-1.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.42

$1.34 RON 6.12

-11.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.15

$1.72 RON 7.86

-8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 RON 7.01

$1.82 RON 8.30

-15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 RON 11.03

$2.39 RON 10.92

1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.39

$1.04 RON 4.76

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.72

$1.02 RON 4.65

0.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.23

$0.98 RON 4.47

-5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 RON 3.80

$0.95 RON 4.32

-12.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 RON 26.99

$6.40 RON 29.19

-7.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.47 RON 34.11

$6.50 RON 29.67

14.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 5.00

$1.24 RON 5.66

-11.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.54

$1.93 RON 8.82

-14.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.07

$1.14 RON 5.19

-41.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.19 RON 92.2

$19.82 RON 90.5

1.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 RON 3.54

$0.71 RON 3.26

8.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 RON 3.50

$0.65 RON 2.98

18.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.77 RON 30.91

$6.93 RON 31.64

-2.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.99

$1.66 RON 7.56

-7.83%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.2K RON 128.9K

$29.0K RON 132.2K

-2.45%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.9K RON 127.4K

$30.1K RON 137.3K

-7.17%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$166 RON 760

$183 RON 837

-9.29%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.18 RON 37.36

$8.95 RON 40.86

-8.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.18 RON 41.90

$11.12 RON 50.8

-17.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.91 RON 187

$54.4 RON 248

-24.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 RON 87.2

$29.49 RON 135

-35.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 RON 31.30

$9.13 RON 41.68

-24.86%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$456 RON 2,080

$676 RON 3,088

-32.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,640 RON 30.3K

$14.3K RON 65.4K

-53.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.7 RON 300

$81.1 RON 370

-19.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 RON 198

$44.42 RON 203

-2.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 RON 442

$89.8 RON 410

7.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 RON 457

$108 RON 494

-7.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 RON 1,791

$662 RON 3,022

-40.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 RON 1,340

$441 RON 2,011

-33.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 RON 2,710

$1,352 RON 6,173

-56.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 RON 2,000

$849 RON 3,874

-48.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,246 RON 10.3K

$3,777 RON 17.2K

-40.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,261 RON 5,755

$2,231 RON 10.2K

-43.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,427

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

7.1

8.45%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medias: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $392 in Medias and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $51.0 in Medias vs $69.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $230 per month, with Medias cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medias vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medias and Bucharest differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,096 vs $1,362 including rent). Medias is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,644 in Medias and $2,044 in Bucharest to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $392 in Medias versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,096 per month in Medias versus $1,362 in Bucharest – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medias runs roughly 2% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,096 in Medias versus $1,362 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medias but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Medias the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medias and Bucharest are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medias gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.